The Bunny Lingo
Rabbits do actually make vocal noises, but not many. Most of their communication is through body language. You'll notice the majority of rabbits will go through the baby stage, then the adolescent/teenage stage (for nearly a whole year or two) then they'll mature. Some don't follow this pattern, but most do.
A rabbit reached sexual maturity at 12 weeks, though their hormones don't tend to catch up until they're around 5/6 months of age. Males will start to hump everything, spray urine and circle things, like yourself. Females will become more aggressive, they will dig a lot and pounce at you when you stick your hands into their territories. The best way to rectify this is get them neutered through a rabbit savy vet straight away when they reach 5/6months and are healthy.
The Lingo
Binkying:
Often described as the bunny happy dance. It is where your rabbit runs jumps and kicks their back legs, lands and stops. In the wild rabbits do this to warn off predators or whilst playing with other bunny friends.
Bunny A.M.:
After a few days you'll notice there is a certain time of day your rabbit will go 'crazy' They'll zoom around the room doing binkies then will relax and take a much needed nap.
Chinning:
It's a way a rabbit will mark their territory just as a cat will rub their forehead against something, a rabbit will rub it's chin. So if your bunny is rubbing your leg, it now belongs to your bunny.
Crying:
When a bunny cries it's very similar to when a dog whimpers, and can be followed with a quick stomp.
Flopping:
A bunny will just all of a sudden flop to it's side. But don't worry, it's a bunnies way to say they're very very happy and just want to chill out and relax.
Growling:
They're not happy, maybe you're put something in the wrong place, touched a whisker or invaded their 'space', careful when a bunny growls as it can also be followed by a nibble of displeasure.
Licking:
When a bunny licks you it can mean one of two things, I love you, or give me a salt lick/mineral stone.
Lunging:
Some buns when being territorial will leap at you from their spot, and it can be accompanied by a growl/tail wag. Most of the time this is a territorial related issue, which can be fixed by neutering. The are basically saying 'get out of my space'.
Screaming:
You never want to hear a rabbit scream. This is the noise they make when they're in extreme pain and think they're about to die. If you hear your bunny scream rush them to the vets immediately!
Tail Wagging:
A rabbit can do this for two reasons. One, they are extremely excited. Or two, they're very annoyed and are displaying a sign of aggression. It's quite easy to understand which one is which, as an annoyed tail wag will be accompanied by a lunge/grunt.
Thumping:
Unlike in the popular Disney movie 'Bambi', where thumper thumps the ground in excitement a rabbit does this in fact to warn their fellow bunnies or humans that there is danger around. But don't stress this can be from turning an appliance on or lighting a cigarette. When your rabbit stomps try and console them as the stress can affect their health and in worst cases can possibly kill.
